Mower County transcript., 1887-08-03

August, we have to say that our
neglect to save that which might easily
be held, is punished none too severely,
by droughts that cut crops down by
one-half, and reduce the value of that
which remains. That the benefits of
irrigation are great, and that it could
be followed in many instances at
reasonable expense cannot be denied,
but it must be remembered that very
much of the flows of water cannot
be husbanded without an expenditure
much beyond the means of most farm
ers. @'9' ~ =. ~
If the contour of farm is of that
character that reservoir can be form
ed, which would be supplied hy the
natural flows Of water from stream,
or the water flowing from ral.'slopes,
and so saturated as to be able to supply
water for purposes of irrigation to a
large proportion of the farm. such a
reservoir might be constructed, if not
too expensive, and the benefits from the
use of the water would be inestimable
But how many farms are so suited as
to render snch action wholly impos-
sible, Irrigation is question of ex-
pense, and until means are employed
to determine the actual money value
derived from it, so as to know how far
expenditure can proitably be made
to carry it on, it will be likely to be
confined to such means as
can be most easily and cheaply employ
ed.
THE PEACH PROSPECT.
There is now apparently some pro-
spect of a good peach season. The MAX
ers of peach baskets look for good deal
of fruit. The two basket-factories Of
Smyrna, DEL, have made in the three
months they have been at work 700, 900
peach baskets or half enough to supply
the demands of Delaware and Maryland
this season. Of this number only one
third have been disposed of. The re-
naming 500, 900 are stored. Had not
foreign orders been Cancelled and home
consumption looked after not 5000
baskets would have been on hand today,
The prices have been quite satisfactory
five and one-half cents on an average.
The factories will run till Sept. l., aver
aging together 10000 baskets per day,
making the production 100000, or
just enough to supply the peninsula for
this seasons crop.
MULES FOR HARD ROADS.
As the roads become harder and firm
or, especially in cities, mules are tax
ing the preference of horses in some To-
calities for team work. There is con-
siderable prejudice against them, but a
mules foot is his strong point and that
is where the horse on city stone pave
ments soonest gives out. On the other
hand, they are not well adapted to
working on soft land. They are good
for blowing, but when it comes to drag
ging over the loosened soil the mules
hoof sinks into it making extra labor
in hauling it out. In the South, where
the mule is used in cultivating cotton,
the negroes use a shovel plow, throwing
loose earth against the rows and leav-
ing a hard beaten track in the middle
for the mule to walk in. This is not
good way to cultivate corn or cotton,
but it is necessary where the work has
to be done by mules on account of the
smallness of their feet. It is this pecu-
larity of his foot that makes the kick of
a mule so effective. All the force of
the blow is concentrated in very small
spot.
AFoE TO GOOD GRASS.
In northern Ohio, besides the COM
plant of white daisies, and the like, q
yet worse pest has appeared in tie form
of grass, locally called 'white face"
.wire grass" etc., that comes in and
kills out every vestige of the better her
bage. Green and luxuriant at first, it
soon turns a yellow-white, becomes
wholly worthless, and soon overruns and
takes possession of the whole field. Cut
when just heading out, it has some val
ue as hay, but if it gets at all ripe it is
almost wholly rejected by the stock. In
the meadows it can be killed out by
plowing and re-seeding down to timothy
and clover, or kept back by early cutting.
but in the rougher pasture land that
one does not wish to disturb or cannot,
the problem is moro serious. 1t has
been suggested that If the land could be
sliced up with disc or other sharp cut
ting harrows, in September, after it had
ripened, and be sown thickly with thick
grasses and clover in the spring, especial
" aliske clover, it could be got the ad-
vantage of.
A GRAND CROP OF STRAWBERRIES.
A correspondent of the American Gar
lo,, "a ~oeror o;h1o for thu fo1loxuino ~ rn